Virtual neighbor objects for managing idle mode mobility in a wireless network

ABSTRACT

Idle mode reselection is presented herein. A virtual neighbor component can create at least one virtual neighbor object and associate the at least one virtual neighbor object with wireless access points. Further, a reselection component can facilitate idle mode reselection between a base station and a wireless access point of the wireless access points based on the at least one virtual neighbor object.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a continuation of, and claims priority toeach of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/886,616, filed May 3, 2013,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/614,033,filed Nov. 6, 2009 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,451,784). The entireties of theaforementioned applications are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Wireless devices, e.g., cellular based devices, are ubiquitous.Moreover, there is increased demand for cellular services in areas wheresuch services may be limited, e.g., residential or small businessenvironments. Accordingly, a small cellular base station, e.g.,femtocell, coupled to a wireless service provider's network via abroadband connection, can be located in such environments to improvewireless service capacity and/or coverage.

In a cellular based system, a mobile wireless device can communicatewith a base station within a wireless coverage area, or sector, of thebase station. During a voice and/or data session, e.g., phone call, themobile wireless device operates in an active mode while communicatingwith the base station. When the mobile wireless device is powered onbetween calls, the mobile wireless device operates in an idle mode.During the idle mode, the mobile wireless device can perform areselection procedure to transition between base stations and/orwireless access points, e.g., based on base station/wireless accesspoint signal quality. For example, the mobile wireless device canmonitor one or more control and/or broadcast channels of proximate basestations to obtain information for selecting a base station forservicing an incoming/outgoing call in the active mode. Such informationcan include a neighbor list, which identifies channels of proximate basestations the mobile wireless device can monitor during the idle mode. Asthe mobile wireless device moves within a sector served by a basestation, the mobile wireless device can monitor the channels of basestations and/or access points utilizing the neighbor list and determinea best channel for active mode operation.

As increased amounts of femtocells are integrated into a broadercellular network to improve wireless service capacity and/or coverage,conventional techniques cannot adequately account for tens, hundreds,thousands, etc. of femtocells included within a base station's sectorusing a neighbor list. Each item included in a neighbor list transmittedby a base station corresponds to only one base station and/or one accesspoint within a sector of the base station. Further, conventionaltechniques limit a number of neighbors included in a base stationneighbor list to 32. Consequently, if more than 32 femtocells are withina sector of a base station, then a mobile wireless device cannot use aneighbor list to monitor and/or select each femtocell within the sectorduring idle mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless network that includes a virtual neighborcomponent for facilitating optimal idle mode reselection, in accordancewith an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a wireless environment that includes a virtualneighbor component for facilitating effective idle mode reselection, inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates another wireless environment that facilitateseffective idle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a GSM wireless environment that facilitates effectiveidle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a UMTS wireless environment that facilitates optimalidle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system that provides for effective idle modereselection in a wireless-based communication infrastructure, inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a virtual neighbor object referencing multiplefemtocells of a wireless network, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a virtual neighbor object, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a wireless environment utilizing different virtualneighbor objects, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a reselection component including an accessrestriction component, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a wireless environment that includes two femtocellsreferenced by a virtual neighbor object, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a virtual neighbor component including a neighborlist component and a provisioning component, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a neighbor list including virtual neighbor objects,in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 14 illustrates a wireless environment associating six virtualneighbor objects to femtocells, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 15 illustrates a system that includes an access component forfacilitating effective idle mode reselection, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates a wireless environment associating multiplefemtocells to a virtual neighbor object, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates a system that includes a femto neighbor listcomponent and a transition component, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 18 illustrates another wireless environment associating multiplefemtocells to a virtual neighbor object, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 19 illustrates a process that provides for effective idle modereselection in a wireless environment, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 20 illustrates another process that provides for effective idlemode reselection in a wireless environment, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 21 illustrates yet another process that provides for effective idlemode reselection in a wireless environment, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 22 illustrates a process associated with a mobile wireless device,in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 23 illustrates another process associated with a mobile wirelessdevice, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 24 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile wireless device, inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 25 illustrates a block diagram of a femto access point, inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 26 illustrates a block diagram of a wireless network environment,in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 27 illustrates a block diagram of a computer operable to executethe disclosed methods and apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 28 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computingenvironment, in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various non-limiting embodiments of systems, methods, and apparatus areprovided for facilitating effective management of idle mode mobility ina wireless-based communication infrastructure. Such an infrastructurecan include femtocells, which are wireless access points that caninterface with a wired or wireless broadband network. Femtocells usuallyuse a licensed radio spectrum operated and controlled by a wirelessservice provider, and are generally deployed to improve indoor wirelesscoverage. Moreover, femtocells can reduce loading of over-the-air radioresources, e.g., radio frequency channels, operated by the wirelessservice provider. User equipment (UE), e.g., a mobile wireless device,cell phone, wireless communications device, etc. can be operated by asubscriber of the wireless service provider within a femto coveragearea, or femto network including one or more femtocells.

The UE can communicate with a core network, e.g., wired broadbandnetwork, via a femto access point (AP), or femtocell, utilizing a femtobased wireless protocol. The femto AP employs a backhaul network, e.g.,broadband wired network backbone, to route packet communication, e.g.,voice traffic, data traffic, data, etc., to the core network. Typically,the UE can register with the femto AP, and communication, such as voiceand/or data traffic, can be routed to the subscriber via the femto APutilizing the femto based wireless protocol. As used herein, the phrases“femto based wireless protocol,” “femto wireless protocol,” or “femtobased communication,” refer generally to a wireless protocol used toroute data between a femto AP and UE, e.g., utilizing the licensed radiospectrum described above.

Further, the UE can communicate with the core network via a macronetwork that includes at least one base station generally intended toserve mobile wireless devices in outdoor locations. Each base stationcan employ a backhaul network, e.g., broadband wired or wireless networkbackbone, to route packet communication, e.g., voice traffic, datatraffic, data, etc. to the core network. As the UE moves within themacro and/or femto networks between phone calls during idle mode, the UEcan receive neighbor lists from proximate base stations and/or femtoaccess points (APs). Each neighbor list received from a base stationidentifies a limited number of neighboring base stations and/or femtoAPs within a coverage area of the base station. The UE can select a basestation and/or femto AP, e.g., associated with highest signal quality,from those identified via the neighbor list for servicing anincoming/outgoing call in active mode.

As increased amounts of femtocells are integrated into a broadercellular network to improve wireless service capacity and/or coverage,conventional techniques cannot adequately account for tens, hundreds,thousands, etc. of femtocells included within a base station's coveragearea using a neighbor list. Each item included in a neighbor listtransmitted by a base station corresponds to only one base stationand/or access point within a coverage area, or sector, of the basestation. Further, conventional techniques can limit a number ofneighbors included in a base station neighbor list to 32. Consequently,if more than 32 femtocells are within a sector of a base station, then amobile wireless device cannot use a neighbor list to monitor and/orselect each femtocell within the sector during idle mode.

Compared to such techniques, various systems, methods, and apparatusdescribed herein improve wireless customer experience(s) by effectivelymanaging idle mode reselection between a cellular based macro networkand a femto network.

Aspects, features, or advantages of the disclosed subject matter can beexploited in substantially any wireless telecommunication or radiotechnology, e.g., wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi™); Worldwide Interoperabilityfor Microwave Access (WiMAX™); Enhanced General Packet Radio Service(Enhanced GPRS); 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE™); Third GenerationPartnership Project 2 (3GPP2); Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB); ThirdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Universal Mobile TelecommunicationSystem (UMTS); High Speed Packet Access (HSPA); High Speed DownlinkPacket Access (HSDPA); High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA); LTE™Advanced (LTE-A), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), etc.

Additionally, one or more embodiments described herein can includelegacy telecommunication technologies, e.g., plain old telephone service(POTS). It is also noted that selections of radio technology includesecond generation (2G), third generation (3G), and fourth generation(4G) evolution of the radio technology; however, such selections are notintended as a limitation of the disclosed subject matter and relatedaspects thereof. In addition, the aspects, features, or advantages ofthe disclosed subject matter can be exploited in disparateelectromagnetic frequency bands. Moreover, one or more embodimentsdescribed herein can be executed in one or more network elements, suchas a mobile wireless device, e.g., user equipment, and/or within one ormore elements of a network infrastructure, e.g., radio networkcontroller.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. One skilled in therelevant art will recognize, however, that the techniques describedherein can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, orwith other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown ordescribed in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout thisspecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics maybe combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

As utilized herein, terms “component,” “system,” “platform,” “node,”“layer,” “selector,” “interface,” and the like are intended to refer toa computer-related entity, hardware, software (e.g., in execution),and/or firmware. For example, a component can be a process running on aprocessor, a processor, an object, an executable, a program, a storagedevice, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, an applicationrunning on a server and the server can be a component. One or morecomponents can reside within a process and a component can be localizedon one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.

Further, these components can execute from various computer readablemedia having various data structures stored thereon. The components maycommunicate via local and/or remote processes such as in accordance witha signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one componentinteracting with another component in a local system, distributedsystem, and/or across a network, such as the Internet, with othersystems via the signal). As another example, a component can be anapparatus with specific functionality provided by mechanical partsoperated by electric or electronic circuitry which is operated by asoftware application or a firmware application executed by a processor,wherein the processor can be internal or external to the apparatus andexecutes at least a part of the software or firmware application. As yetanother example, a component can be an apparatus that provides specificfunctionality through electronic components without mechanical parts,the electronic components can include a processor therein to executesoftware or firmware that confers at least in part the functionality ofthe electronic components.

The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to meanserving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance ofdoubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by suchexamples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as“exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meantto preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known tothose of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that theterms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used ineither the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intendedto be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an opentransition word—without precluding any additional or other elements.

Artificial intelligence based systems, e.g., utilizing explicitly and/orimplicitly trained classifiers, can be employed in connection withperforming inference and/or probabilistic determinations and/orstatistical-based determinations as in accordance with one or moreaspects of the disclosed subject matter as described herein. Forexample, an artificial intelligence system can be used, via provisioningcomponent 1220 (described below) to automatically transmit a neighborlist from a wireless access point to a mobile wireless device; andautomatically facilitate idle mode reselection between the wirelessaccess point and another wireless access point via the mobile wirelessdevice, based on, at least in part, the neighbor list.

In another example, the artificial intelligence system can be used, viareselection component 1000 (described below) to automatically facilitateidle mode reselection between a wireless access point and anotherwireless access point based on, at least in part, a channel number, ascrambling code, an at least one control parameter.

As used herein, the term “infer” or “inference” refers generally to theprocess of reasoning about or inferring states of the system,environment, user, and/or intent from a set of observations as capturedvia events and/or data. Captured data and events can include user data,device data, environment data, data from sensors, sensor data,application data, implicit data, explicit data, etc. Inference can beemployed to identify a specific context or action, or can generate aprobability distribution over states of interest based on aconsideration of data and events, for example. Inference can also referto techniques employed for composing higher-level events from a set ofevents and/or data. Such inference results in the construction of newevents or actions from a set of observed events and/or stored eventdata, whether the events are correlated in close temporal proximity, andwhether the events and data come from one or several event and datasources. Various classification schemes and/or systems (e.g., supportvector machines, neural networks, expert systems, Bayesian beliefnetworks, fuzzy logic, and data fusion engines) can be employed inconnection with performing automatic and/or inferred action inconnection with the disclosed subject matter.

In addition, the disclosed subject matter may be implemented as amethod, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programmingand/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware,or any combination thereof to control a computer to implement thedisclosed subject matter. The term “article of manufacture” as usedherein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from anycomputer-readable device, computer-readable carrier, orcomputer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media caninclude, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices, e.g., harddisk; floppy disk; magnetic strip(s); optical disk (e.g., compact disk(CD), digital video disc (DVD), Blu-ray Disc™ (BD)); smart card(s), andflash memory device(s) (e.g., card, stick, key drive).

Moreover, terms like “user equipment” (UE), “mobile station (MS),”“mobile subscriber station,” “access terminal,” “terminal,” “handset,”“appliance,” “machine,” and similar terminology refer to a wirelessdevice utilized by a subscriber or user of a wireless communicationservice to receive and/or convey data associated with voice, video,sound, and/or substantially any data-stream or signaling-stream.Further, the foregoing terms are utilized interchangeably in the subjectspecification and related drawings. Likewise, the terms “local wirelesscommunications cite,” “access point” (AP), “base station,” “Node B,”“evolved Node B,” “home Node B” (HNB), “home access point” (HAP), andthe like are utilized interchangeably in the subject specification anddrawings and refer to a wireless network component or apparatus thatsends and/or receives data associated with voice, video, sound, and/orsubstantially any data-stream or signaling-stream between a set ofsubscriber stations—unless context warrants particular distinction(s)among the terms. Further, the data and signaling streams can bepacketized or frame-based flows.

Furthermore, the terms “user,” “subscriber,” “customer,” “consumer,”“agent,” “owner,” and the like are employed interchangeably throughoutthe subject specification and related drawings, unless context warrantsparticular distinction(s) among the terms. It should be appreciated thatsuch terms can refer to human entities, or automated componentssupported through artificial intelligence, e.g., a capacity to makeinference based on complex mathematical formalisms, that can providesimulated vision, sound recognition, decision making, etc. Also, theterms “local wireless communications cite,” “access point,” “basestation,” and the like are utilized interchangeably throughout thesubject specification, and refer to devices that can receive andtransmit signal(s) from and to wireless devices through one or moreantennas. In addition, the terms “wireless network” and “network” areused interchangeable in the subject application, unless context warrantsparticular distinction(s) among the terms.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless network 100 that includes a virtualneighbor component 130 for facilitating optimal idle mode reselection,in accordance with an embodiment. Wireless network 100 can furtherinclude macro network 110 and femto network 120. Macro network 110 caninclude at least one base station (not shown) that serves mobilewireless devices (not shown) in outdoor locations via a macro cell. Theterm “macro cell” generally refers to a coverage area, or geographicalarea, having a radius of at least one kilometer. The terms “microcell,”“picocell,” and “femtocell” generally refer to progressively smallersized coverage areas.

While aspects and/or features of the subject disclosure are illustratedin relation to macro cells, femtocells, and femtocell access points,such aspects and/or features are also applicable to, and can beimplemented in: a microcell, or microcell access point; a picocell, orpicocell access point; a Wi-Fi™ access point; a WiMAX™ access point, aBluetooth™ access point, other wireless-based access points; or thelike. Further, macro network 110 can include a core network (not shown)comprising one or more cellular technologies, e.g., 3GPP UMTS, GSM, etc.Each base station, or access point, of macro network 110 can communicatewith the core network via a wired backbone link (not shown), e.g.,optical fiber, twisted-pair, coaxial cable, etc.

Femto network 120 can include femtocells (not shown), which are wirelessaccess points that can interface with macro network 110. It should beappreciated that although femto network 120 is illustrated in FIG. 1 asan entity distinct from macro network 110, femto network 120 can belocated/included within and/or across one or more locations, components,e.g., hardware, software, etc., of macro network 110. For example, oneor more femtocells of femto network 120 can be located within a macrocell served by a base station of macro network 110.

A mobile wireless device served by macro network 110, and operated by asubscriber within a femto coverage area of femto network 120, cancommunicate with the core network of macro network 110 via one or morefemto access points (APs) (not shown). Typically, the mobile wirelessdevice can register with a femto AP and communication, e.g., voice ordata traffic, can be routed to the subscriber through the femto APutilizing a femto based wireless protocol, e.g., based on a licensed orunlicensed radio spectrum. The femto AP can employ a backhaul network(not shown), e.g., broadband wired or wireless network backbone, toroute packet communication, e.g., voice traffic, data traffic, data,etc. to the core network of macro network 110.

As the mobile wireless device moves within and/or between macro network110 and femto network 120 during idle mode, e.g., between phone calls,it can receive a neighbor list transmitted from a proximate base stationand/or access point. The mobile wireless device can select a basestation or femto AP from the neighbor list to service incoming/outgoingcalls during active mode. Conventional neighbor lists contain a smallnumber of broadcast channels from which the mobile wireless device canselect from in order to service incoming/outgoing calls during activemode. Moreover, each broadcast channel, or reference to a basestation/femto AP, corresponds to only one access point within a coveragearea, or sector, of the proximate base station and/or access point.Consequently, if more femtocells are within a sector of a base stationthan can be identified in a neighbor list, a mobile wireless devicecannot use the neighbor list to select from each femtocell within thesector during idle mode. For example, if a residential area within abase station sector contains over 50 femtocells, and a neighbor listtransmitted from the base station to a mobile wireless device onlyidentifies 32 neighbors, the mobile wireless device cannot reselect toeach femtocell in the base station sector using the neighbor list.

Compared to conventional techniques, virtual neighbor component 130 canenable effective idle mode reselection between macro and femto networks,e.g., between femto network 110 and macro network 120, by utilizingvirtual femto neighbor objects in neighbor lists (not shown).Accordingly, with respect to the example above, virtual neighborcomponent 130 can enable the base station to account for the over 50femtocells via the neighbor list by assigning more than one femtocell toa virtual neighbor object. As such, each virtual neighbor objectincluded in the neighbor list can identify multiple femtocells withinthe base station sector. In addition, because a virtual neighbor objectcan identify multiple access points, less than 32 entries in a neighborlist can be used to identify all base stations and/or femto APs within acoverage area during idle mode.

It should be appreciated that although virtual neighbor component 130 isillustrated in FIG. 1 as an entity distinct from macro network 110 andfemto network 120, virtual neighbor component 130 can belocated/included within and/or across one or more components, e.g.,hardware, software, etc., of wireless network 100, e.g., within or amonghardware and/or software of components of macro network 110 and/or femtonetwork 120.

FIG. 2 illustrates a wireless environment 200 that includes a virtualneighbor component 260 for facilitating effective idle mode reselection,in accordance with an embodiment. Each macro cell 205 represents a“macro” cell coverage area, or sector, served by a base station 210. Itshould be appreciated that although macro cells 205 are illustrated ashexagons, macro cells 205 can adopt other geometries generally dictatedby a deployment or topography of the macro cell coverage area, orcovered geographic area, e.g., metropolitan statistical area (MSA),rural statistical area (RSA), etc. Macro cell coverage is generallyintended to serve mobile wireless devices, e.g., mobile wireless device220 _(A), mobile wireless device 220 _(B), in outdoor locations. Anover-the-air wireless link 215 provides the macro coverage, and wirelesslink 215 comprises a downlink (DL) and an uplink (UL) (both not shown)that can utilize a predetermined band of radio frequency (RF) spectrumassociated with, e.g., GSM, 3GPP UMTS. Accordingly, mobile wirelessdevice 220 _(A) can be a GSM or 3GPP UMTS mobile phone, while 220 _(B)can be a remote computing device with GSM or 3GPP UMTS capabilities.

Base station 210—including associated electronics, circuitry and/orcomponents—and wireless link 215 form a radio network, e.g., basestation subsystem (BSS) associated with a GSM wireless network, or radioaccess network (RAN) associated with a UMTS wireless network. Inaddition, base station 210 communicates with macro network platform 208via backhaul link(s) 251. Macro network platform 208 represents a corenetwork comprising one or more cellular wireless technologies, e.g.,3GPP UMTS or GSM. In one aspect, macro network platform 208 controls aset of base stations 210 that serve either respective cells or a numberof sectors within such cells. Macro network platform 208 can alsocommunicate with other base stations (not shown) that serve other cells(not shown). Backhaul link(s) 251 can include a wired backbone link,e.g., optical fiber backbone, twisted-pair line, T1/E1 phone line,synchronous or asynchronous digital subscriber line (DSL), asymmetricDSL (ADSL), coaxial cable, etc. Moreover, backhaul links(s) 251 can linkdisparate base stations 210 based on macro network platform 208.

Packet communication, e.g., voice traffic, data traffic, is typicallyrouted through a broadband wired network backbone (or backhaul network)utilizing, e.g., optical fiber backbone, twisted-pair line, T1/E1 phoneline, synchronous or asynchronous digital subscriber line (DSL),asymmetric DSL (ADSL), coaxial cable, etc. To this end, base station 210is typically connected to the backhaul network, e.g., service providernetwork 255, via a broadband modem (not shown) and backhaul link(s) 251.Through backhaul link(s) 251, base station 210 can handle substantiallyany quality of service (QoS) for heterogeneous packetized traffic, e.g.,various multiple packet flows.

Base station 210 can integrate into an existing network, e.g., GSM or3GPP network, via various interfaces, for example: via an A-bisinterface (not shown) between a base transceiver station (BTS) and abase station controller (BSC); via an Iub interface (not shown) betweena radio network controller (RNC) and base station 210; via an interface(not shown) between an RNC and a Circuit Switched Core Network (CS-CN);via an interface (not shown) between an RNC and an Iu-CS interface; viaan interface (not shown) between an RNC and a Packet Switched CoreNetwork (or Iu-PS interface); via an interface (not shown) between a BSCand a mobile switching center (MSC) and/or Network Switching Subsystem(NNS); via an interface (not shown) between a Serving General PacketRadio Service Support Node (SGSN) and a public data network (PDN) (or Giinterface); via an interface (not shown) between an SGSN and other SGSNs(or Gn interface).

A group of femtocells 225 served by respective femto access points (APs)230 can be deployed within each macro cell 205. While three femtocells225 are deployed per macro cell 205 as shown in FIG. 2, aspects of thesubject disclosure can be directed to femtocell deployments withsubstantive femto AP 230 density, e.g., 10⁴-10⁸ femto APs 230 per basestation 210. As such, femtocell group 227 as illustrated in FIG. 2includes more than 10⁴ femto APs 230 (not shown). Femtocell 225typically covers an area (or coverage area) that includes confined area245, which is determined, at least in part, by transmission powerallocated to femto AP 230, path loss, shadowing, etc. While the confinedarea 245 and coverage area typically coincide, it should be appreciatedthat in certain deployment scenarios, the coverage area can include anoutdoor portion, e.g., parking lot, patio deck, recreation area; whileconfined area 245 can be enclosed by a building, e.g., home, retailstore, business. The coverage area typically is spanned by a coverageradius ranging from 20 to 100 meters. Confined area 245 is generallyassociated with an indoor space and/or building, such as a residentialspace, e.g., house, condominium, apartment complex, etc.; businessspace, e.g., retail store, mall, etc.; or public space, e.g., library,hospital, etc. Such spaces can span about 5000 sq. ft.

Femto AP 230 typically serves a few (e.g., 2-5) wireless devices, e.g.,UE 220 _(A) and subscriber station 220 _(B), within the coverage areaassociated with respective femtocells 225—each wireless device coupledto femto AP 230 via a wireless link 235 that comprises a downlink and anuplink (depicted as arrows in FIG. 2). A femto network platform 209 cancontrol such service(s), in addition to registering femto APs,provisioning femto APs, managing macro-to-femto handover, and managingfemto-to-macro handover. Control or management is facilitated by accesspoint backhaul link(s) 253 that connect deployed femto APs 230 withfemto network platform 209. Access point backhaul link(s) 253 aresubstantially similar to backhaul link(s) 251.

Femto network platform 209 also includes components, e.g., nodes,gateways, interfaces, that facilitate packet-switched (PS), e.g.,internet protocol (IP), traffic and signal generation for networkedtelecommunication. It should be appreciated that femto network platform209 can integrate seamlessly with substantially any PS-based and/orcircuit switched (CS)-based network (such as macro network platform208). Thus, operation with a wireless device such as 220 _(A) issubstantially seamless when handover from femto-to-macro, or vice versa,occurs.

As an example, femto AP 230 can integrate into an existing network,e.g., GSM or 3GPP network, via various interfaces, for example: via anA-bis interface (not shown) between a base transceiver station (BTS) anda base station controller (BSC); via an Iub interface (not shown)between a radio network controller (RNC) and base station 210; via aninterface (not shown) between an RNC and a Circuit Switched Core Network(CS-CN); via an interface (not shown) between an RNC and an Iu-CSinterface; via an interface (not shown) between an RNC and a PacketSwitched Core Network (or Iu-PS interface); via an interface (not shown)between a BSC and a mobile switching center (MSC) and/or NetworkSwitching Subsystem (NNS); via an interface (not shown) between aServing General Packet Radio Service Support Node (SGSN) and a publicdata network (PDN) (or Gi interface); via an interface (not shown)between an SGSN and other SGSNs (or Gn interface).

Substantially all voice or data active sessions associated withsubscribers within femtocell coverage, e.g., coverage area associatedwith femtocell 225, are terminated once the femto AP 230 is shut down;however, for data sessions, data can be recovered at least in partthrough a buffer, e.g., memory, associated with a femto gateway at femtonetwork platform 209. Coverage of a suspended (or hotlined) subscriberstation, or an associated account, can be blocked, e.g., over anassociated air-interface. If a suspended or hotlined customer who owns afemto AP 230 is in Hotline/Suspend status, there is no substantiveimpact to customers covered through the subject femto AP 230. In anotheraspect, femto AP 230 can exploit high-speed downlink packet access viaan interface with macro network platform 208, or through femto networkplatform 209, in order to accomplish substantive bitrates.

As described above, conventional idle mode reselection techniques cannotadequately account for tens, hundreds, thousands, etc. of femtocellsincluded within a sector of a base station since (1) each referenceincluded in a conventional neighbor list corresponds to only one basestation/femto AP within the sector and (2) such techniques limitneighbor lists to contain a small amount of references, e.g., 32.Accordingly, virtual neighbor component 260 can facilitate optimal idlemode reselection within wireless network 200 by enabling reuse ofvirtual neighbor object references in neighbor lists—the virtualneighbor object references identifying multiple basestations/femtocells, e.g., base stations 210/femto APs 230, withinwireless network 200.

It should be appreciated that although virtual neighbor component 260 isillustrated in FIG. 2 as an entity distinct from, e.g., base stations210, femto APs 230, mobile wireless devices 220 _(A) and 220 _(B),service provider network 225, etc., aspects and/or features of virtualneighbor component 260 can be located/included within and/or across oneor more components, e.g., hardware, software, etc., of wireless network200. For example, in one embodiment, virtual neighbor component 260 canbe located within any component(s) of a GSM and/or UMTS core network,e.g. service provider network 255. In another embodiment, virtualneighbor component 260 can be located in hardware and/or software ofbase stations 210, femto APs 230, and/or mobile wireless devices 220_(A) and 220 _(B). Moreover, it should be appreciated that features andadvantages of the subject innovation can be implemented in microcells,picocells, or the like, wherein base station 210 can be embodied in anaccess point.

FIG. 3 illustrates another wireless environment (300) that facilitateseffective idle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment.Wireless environment 300 can comprise one or more base stations 210, forexample: coupled to a BSC forming a base station system (BSS) (see,e.g., FIG. 4); coupled to an RNC forming a UMTS Terrestrial Radio AccessNetwork (UTRAN) (see, e.g., FIG. 5). Radio network 320 can couple to acore network, e.g., service provider network 255, via one or morebackhaul links 251 (see above) to facilitate wireless communication anddata transfer to one or more wireless devices, e.g., mobile wirelessdevice 220 _(A)/mobile wireless device 220 _(B), in accordance with thedisclosed subject matter. Radio network 320 can comprise any wirelesstechnology, e.g., GSM, UMTS. Wireless environment 300 includes virtualneighbor component 310 that can facilitate optimal idle modereselection, e.g., between and/or among macro network 110 and femtonetwork 120 (see above), within any wireless technology supporting idlemode reselection, e.g., GSM, 3GPP UMTS.

It should be appreciated that although virtual neighbor component 310 isillustrated in FIG. 3 as an entity distinct from radio network 320 andservice provider network 255, virtual neighbor component 310 can belocated/included within and/or across one or more components, e.g.,hardware, software, etc., of wireless environment 300, e.g., within oramong hardware and/or software of components of radio network 320 and/orservice provider network 255.

Further, one or more aspects of wireless environment 300, and thewireless environments, networks, systems, apparatus, and processesexplained herein, may constitute machine-executable instructionsembodied within a machine, e.g., computer, readable medium, which whenexecuted by a machine will cause the machine to perform the operationsdescribed. Additionally, the systems and processes may be embodiedwithin hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC) or the like. The order in which some or all of the process blocksappear in each process should not be deemed limiting. Rather, it shouldbe understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of the instant disclosure that some of the process blocks may beexecuted in a variety of orders not illustrated.

Conventional idle mode reselection techniques utilizing neighbor listscannot adequately account for integration of femtocells within acellular based macro network because such neighbor lists contain a smallnumber of references, and each reference corresponds to only one accesspoint within a sector of a base station/femto AP. Compared to suchtechniques, various systems, methods, and apparatus described hereinfacilitate effective idle mode reselection between a macro network and afemto network by utilizing virtual neighbor objects. For example,virtual neighbor component 310 can facilitate referencing multiple basestations, and/or femto APs, within wireless environment 300 with onevirtual neighbor object.

FIG. 4 illustrates a GSM wireless environment 400 that facilitateseffective idle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment. GSMwireless environment 400 can include at least one base transceiverstation (BTS) 440 coupled to base station controller (BSC) 430 to form abase station subsystem (BSS) 420 of a GSM network. BSS 420 can becoupled to a core network, e.g., service provider network 455, via oneor more backhaul links 451 (see above) to facilitate wirelesscommunication and data transfer to one or more wireless devices, e.g.,mobile station 450 _(A)/mobile station 450 _(B), in accordance with thedisclosed subject matter. GSM wireless environment 400 includes virtualneighbor component 410, which can facilitate optimal idle modereselection between and/or among BTS 440 and a femto AP (not shown)within the GSM network utilizing virtual neighbor objects (see above).It should be appreciated that although virtual neighbor component 410 isillustrated in FIG. 4 as an entity distinct from other entities and/orcomponents of GSM wireless environment 400, one or more aspects ofvirtual neighbor component 410 can be located/included within one ormore components, e.g., hardware, software, etc. (e.g., BSS 420, femto AP(not shown)), of GSM wireless environment 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates a UMTS wireless environment 500 that facilitatesoptimal idle mode reselection, in accordance with an embodiment. UMTSwireless environment 500 can include at least one node B 540 coupled toa radio network controller 530 to form a UMTS Terrestrial Radio AccessNetwork (UTRAN) 520 of a UMTS network. UTRAN 520 can couple to a corenetwork, e.g., service provider network 555, via one or more backhaullinks 551 (see above) to facilitate wireless communication and datatransfer to one or more wireless devices, e.g., user equipment 550_(A)/user equipment 550 _(B), in accordance with the disclosed subjectmatter. UMTS wireless environment 500 includes virtual neighborcomponent 510 that can facilitate optimal idle mode reselection betweenand/or among node B 540 and a femto AP (not shown) within the UMTSnetwork, e.g., a 3GPP network, utilizing virtual neighbor objects (seeabove). It should be appreciated that although virtual neighborcomponent 510 is illustrated in FIG. 5 as an entity distinct from otherentities and/or components of UMTS wireless environment 500, one or moreaspects of virtual neighbor component 510 can be located/included withinone or more components, e.g., hardware, software, etc. (e.g., UTRAN 520,femto AP (not shown)), of UMTS wireless environment 500, e.g., a 3GPPnetwork.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system 600 that provides for effective idle modereselection in a wireless-based communication infrastructure, inaccordance with an embodiment. System 600 can include a virtual neighborcomponent 610 and a reselection component 620. Virtual neighborcomponent 610 can be configured to create at least one virtual neighborobject and associate the at least one virtual neighbor object with atleast two wireless access points. For example, virtual neighborcomponent can create six virtual neighbor objects and associate morethan one access point, e.g., base station, femto AP, etc. of a wirelessnetwork, e.g., a 3GPP network or GSM network, with one of the sixvirtual neighbor objects.

In an aspect, the at least two wireless access points can include atleast one of: a microcell; a microcell access point; a picocell; apicocell access point; a Wi-Fi™ access point; a WiMAX™ access point; aBluetooth™ access point; an Enhanced GPRS access point; a 3GPP accesspoint; an LTE™ access point; a 3GPP2 access point; a UMB access point; a3GPP UMTS access point; a HSPA access point; a HSDPA access point; aHSUPA access point; an LTE-A access point; or a GSM access point.

In another aspect, illustrated by FIG. 7, virtual neighbor component 610can create a virtual neighbor object 710 and associate virtual neighborobject 710, e.g., as a reference, with five femtocells 225 of wirelessnetwork 700. As described below, one or more mobile wireless devices(not shown) can select one of the five femtocells 225 for active modeservicing based on virtual neighbor object 710 and one or more accessrestrictions. Further, it should be appreciated that although virtualneighbor component 610 can reference, or associate, five femtocells 225with virtual neighbor object 710, virtual neighbor component 610 canassociate virtual neighbor object 710 with many more femtocells 225,e.g., 10⁸ femto APs 230 per base stations 210, throughout wirelessnetwork 700.

Now returning to FIG. 6, reselection component 620 of system 600 can beconfigured to facilitate idle mode reselection between a wireless accesspoint of the at least two wireless access points and an other wirelessaccess point based on, at least in part, the at least one virtualneighbor object. In one embodiment, the other wireless access point caninclude: a microcell; a microcell access point; a picocell; a picocellaccess point; a Wi-Fi™ access point; a WiMAX™ access point; a Bluetooth™access point; an Enhanced GPRS access point; a 3GPP access point; anLTE™ access point; a 3GPP2 access point; a UMB access point; a 3GPP UMTSaccess point; a HSPA access point; a HSDPA access point; a HSUPA accesspoint; an LTE-A access point; or a GSM access point.

As described above, a mobile wireless device can perform a reselectionprocedure between phone calls, e.g., during idle mode, to transitionbetween base stations and/or femtocells, e.g., based on received signalquality. The mobile wireless device can receive information viacontrol/broadcast channels of the base stations and/or femtocells in theform of a neighbor list, which can identify base stations and/orfemtocells within a coverage area and/or sector of an associated basestation and/or femtocell. Unfortunately, conventional techniques cannotadequately account for tens, hundreds, thousands, etc. of femtocellsincluded within the coverage area and/or sector using the neighbor listbecause each item, or reference, included in the neighbor list onlycorresponds to one base station and/or access point.

In contrast, reselection component 620 can facilitate idle modereselection based on at least one neighbor list entry, e.g., virtualneighbor object, which can refer to multiple base stations and/or femtoAPs. Referring to the example above, and referencing FIG. 7, reselectioncomponent 620 can facilitate idle mode reselection between a basestation (not shown) and one of the femtocells 225 based on, at least inpart, virtual neighbor object 710. Further, as described below,reselection component 620 can facilitate such reselection, at least inpart, based on one or more access restrictions.

FIG. 8 illustrates a virtual neighbor object 800, in accordance with anembodiment. Virtual neighbor object 800 can include a channel number 810and/or a scrambling code 820 (as illustrated, scrambling code 820 isincluded). Channel number 810 can be associated with a control channeland/or a broadcast channel of an access point, e.g., base station,femtocell, etc., and used by a mobile wireless device to monitor and/orcommunicate with the access point, e.g., for servicing anincoming/outgoing call in the active mode. Scrambling code 820 can beused for scrambling transmissions from the access point, e.g., forscrambling Primary Common Control Physical Channel (P-CCPCH)transmissions from node B 540 of UMTS wireless environment 500. In oneembodiment, reselection component 620 of system 600 can be configured tofacilitate idle mode reselection between wireless access points, e.g.,between a base station and a femto AP, based on, at least in part,channel number 810 and/or scrambling code 820.

For example, in an example wireless environment 900 illustrated by FIG.9, different virtual neighbor objects (905, 910, 915, 920) comprisingdifferent combinations of channel numbers 810 and scrambling codes 820can be associated with different femtocells (907, 912, 917, 922).Reselection component 620 can be configured to facilitate idle modereselection from base station 210 to femtocell 917 based on, at least inpart, a channel number 810 and a scrambling code 820 associated withvirtual neighbor object 915.

FIG. 10 illustrates a reselection component 1000 that includes an accessrestriction component 1010, in accordance with an embodiment. Accessrestriction component 1010 can be configured to define at least oneaccess restriction associated with at least one wireless access point ofthe at least two wireless access points discussed in relation to system600 above. For example, the at least one access restriction can comprisean identification (ID) associated with a mobile wireless device affectedby the idle mode reselection, e.g., a user ID associated with the mobilewireless device. In another aspect, the at least one access restrictioncan be associated with an ACL (see above). In yet another aspect, the atleast one access restriction can relate to one or more signalsassociated with communication between a mobile wireless device and oneor more femtocells. For example, the at least one access restriction canrelate to signal quality of the one or more signals.

In an aspect, the at least one access restriction can prevent access tothe wireless access point of the at least two wireless access points ifthe user ID is not validated. In another aspect, reselection component1000 can be configured to facilitate idle mode reselection between thewireless access point and the other wireless access point based on, atleast in part, the channel number, the scrambling code, and the at leastone access restriction.

For example, in an example wireless environment 1100 illustrated by FIG.11, two femtocells (1112 and 1117) are associated with, or referencedby, virtual neighbor object 1115, which includes a channel number and ascrambling code. Further, femtocell 1112 can be associated with at leastone access restriction defined by access restriction component 1010.Reselection component 620 can be configured to facilitate idle modereselection from base station 210 to femtocell 1112 based on, at leastin part, the channel number and scrambling code of virtual neighborobject 1115, and the at least one access restriction associated withfemtocell 1112.

FIG. 12 illustrates a virtual neighbor component 1200 including aneighbor list component 1210 and a provisioning component 1220, inaccordance with an embodiment. In relation to the discussion regardingFIG. 6 above, neighbor list component 1210 can be configured toconstruct a neighbor list (see FIG. 13) comprising the at least onevirtual neighbor object. As illustrated by FIG. 13, in one embodiment,neighbor list 1300 can include six distinct virtual neighbor objects(1310, 1320, 1330, 1340, 1350, and 1360). Further, the at least onevirtual neighbor object can include a channel number and a scramblingcode (not shown). Moreover, provisioning component 1220 can beconfigured to transmit the neighbor list from the other wireless accesspoint to a mobile wireless device, e.g., mobile wireless device 220_(A), mobile wireless device 220 _(B). Reselection component 1210 can beconfigured to facilitate idle mode reselection between the wirelessaccess point and the other wireless access point, via the mobilewireless device, based on, at least in part, the neighbor list, e.g.,based on the channel number and the scrambling code associated with avirtual neighbor object included in the neighbor list.

For example, in an example wireless environment 1400 illustrated by FIG.14, six different virtual neighbor objects (1405, 1410, 1415, 1420,1425, 1430) comprising different combinations of channel numbers 810 andscrambling codes 820 can be associated with different femtocells (1407,1412, 1417, 1422, 1427, 1432). Neighbor list component 1210 can beconfigured to construct a neighbor list (not shown) that includes thesix different virtual neighbor objects (1405, 1410, 1415, 1420, 1425,and 1430). Provisioning component 1220 can be configured to transmit theneighbor list from base station 210 to mobile wireless device 220 _(A),via wireless link 215. Further, reselection component 1210 can beconfigured to facilitate idle mode reselection between femtocell 1417and base station 210, via mobile wireless device 220 _(A), based on, atleast in part, virtual neighbor object 1415 included in the neighborlist. It should be appreciated that neighbor list component can beconfigured to construct a neighbor list that includes more/less virtualneighbor objects. Moreover, as described below, it should be appreciatedthat at least one virtual neighbor object included in the neighbor listcan reference more than one femtocell.

FIG. 15 illustrates a system 1500 that includes virtual neighborcomponent 1200 and an access component 1510, in accordance with anembodiment. In relation to the discussion regarding FIGS. 6 and 12above, access component 1510 can be configured to assign at least oneaccess control parameter to at least one access point of the at leasttwo wireless access points. In one aspect, the at least one accesscontrol parameter can relate to an ID associated with mobile wirelessdevice 220 _(A), e.g., the at least one access control parameter canrelate to an account associated with a wireless service provider. Inanother aspect, the at least one access control parameter can beassociated with an ACL (see above). In yet another aspect, the at leastone access control parameter can relate to one or more signalsassociated with communication between mobile wireless device 220 _(A)and one or more femtocells, e.g., the at least one access controlparameter can relate to signal quality of the one or more signals.

Further, reselection component 1520 can be configured to facilitate idlemode reselection between the wireless access point and the otherwireless access point based on, at least in part, the channel number,the scrambling code, and the at least one access control parameter. Forexample, in an example wireless environment 1600 illustrated by FIG. 16,six distinct virtual neighbor objects (1605, 1610, 1615, 1620, 1625,1630) comprising different combinations of channel numbers 810 andscrambling codes 820 can be associated with different femtocells, e.g.,1607, 1612, etc. Neighbor list component 1210 can be configured toconstruct a neighbor list (not shown) that includes the six distinctvirtual neighbor objects. Provisioning component 1220 can be configuredto transmit the neighbor list from base station 210 to mobile wirelessdevice 220 _(A), via wireless link 215.

As illustrated by FIG. 16, virtual neighbor object 1610 is associatedwith two femtocells (1612 and 1613). Moreover, virtual neighbor object1615 is associated with two femtocells (1617 and 1618). Accordingly,reselection component 1520 can be configured to facilitate idle modereselection between base station 210 and femtocell 1617, via mobilewireless device 220 _(A), based on, at least in part, channel number810, scrambling code 820, and at least one access control parameterassigned to one or more femtocells within wireless environment 1600 viaaccess component 1510, e.g., at least one access control parameterassigned to femtocell 1617.

FIG. 17 illustrates a system 1700 that includes a femto neighbor listcomponent 1710 and a transition component 1720, in accordance with anembodiment. Femto neighbor list component 1710 can be configured toreference at least two femtocells associated with macro cells using avirtual neighbor object of a plurality of virtual neighbor objects.Further, femto neighbor list component 1710 can be configured to build afemtocell neighbor list comprising the plurality of virtual neighborobjects. Transition component 1720 can be configured to transmit thefemtocell neighbor list from base stations associated with the macrocells to mobile wireless devices. Moreover, transition component 1720can be configured to facilitate selection of a femtocell of the at leasttwo femtocells via at least one of the mobile wireless devices based on,at least in part, the femtocell neighbor list.

In an example wireless environment 1800 illustrated by FIG. 18, femtoneighbor list component 1710 references femtocells 1810 and 1840 viavirtual neighbor object 1805; references femtocells 1820, 1850, and 1860via virtual neighbor object 1815; and references femtocell 1830 viavirtual neighbor object 1825. Femto neighbor list component 1710 caninclude virtual neighbor objects 1805, 1815, and 1825 in a femtoneighbor list (not shown). Transition component 1720 can transmit thefemtocell neighbor list from base stations 210 to mobile wirelessdevices 220 _(A) and 220 _(B), which can facilitate reselection tofemtocells 1820 and 1850 from base stations 210 via mobile wirelessdevices 220 _(A) and 220 _(B), respectively.

As described above, a mobile wireless device, e.g., mobile wirelessdevice 220 _(A)/220 _(B), can monitor one or more control and/orbroadcast channels of base stations for selecting one of the basestations to service an incoming/outgoing call in active mode.Accordingly, in one aspect, transition component 1720 can transmit thefemtocell neighbor list from base stations 210 to mobile wirelessdevices 220 _(A) and 220 _(E) via at least one of a System InformationBlock (SIB) message or a quater message.

A SIB message, or measurement control message, can be transmitted from abase station, e.g., node B 540, associated with a UTRAN, e.g., UTRAN520. A quater message can contain measurement control informationtransmitted from a base station, e.g., BTS 440, associated with a BSS,e.g., BSS 420. The SIB and/or quater message can describe parameters ofan associated base station, which a mobile wireless device can use formonitoring the base station, e.g., to determine base station signalquality. Mobile wireless devices 220 _(A) and 220 _(E) can receive theSIB and/or quater message and extract the femtocell neighbor list fromthe SIB and/or quater message. Each mobile wireless device 220 _(A)/220_(B) can attempt to monitor, or scan, femtocells associated with virtualneighbor object entries included in the femtocell neighbor list, e.g.,via channel numbers and scrambling codes associated with each virtualneighbor object entry.

As illustrated by FIG. 18, one or more virtual neighbor objects includedin a femtocell neighbor list can reference at least two femtocells,e.g., VNO 1815 included in a femtocell neighbor list transmitted tomobile wireless device 220 _(B)—VNO referencing femtocells 1850 and1860. Accordingly, in an aspect, one or more access control lists can beassociated with one or more of the at least two femtocells describedabove regarding FIG. 17. Moreover, and referring to the discussion aboveregarding FIG. 17, transition component 1720 can be configured tofacilitate selection of a femtocell of the at least two femtocells viaat least one of the mobile wireless devices based on, at least in part,the femtocell neighbor list and one or more access control lists, theone or more access control lists associated with one or more of the atleast two femtocells.

For example, an access control list can be associated with femtocells1850 and 1860, and transition component 1720 can be configured tofacilitate selection of femtocell 1850 via mobile wireless device 220_(E) based on an access control list related to femtocell 1850, e.g.,the access control list granting access based on one or more parametersassociated with mobile wireless device 220 _(B), such as accountinformation, mobile wireless device identification, etc.

It should be appreciated that although virtual neighbor object 1805references two femtocells (1810 and 1840) associated with differentmacro cells 205, a femtocell neighbor list transmitted to mobilewireless device 220 _(A) does not include a virtual neighbor object thatreferences at least two femtocells located within macro cell 205associated with mobile wireless device 220 _(A). Accordingly, transitioncomponent 1720 can facilitate reselection to femtocell 1810 from basestation 210 via mobile wireless device 220 _(A) without consideringaccess control list restrictions.

FIGS. 19-23 illustrate methodologies in accordance with the disclosedsubject matter. For simplicity of explanation, the methodologies aredepicted and described as a series of acts. It is to be understood andappreciated that the subject innovation is not limited by the actsillustrated and/or by the order of acts. For example, acts can occur invarious orders and/or concurrently, and with other acts not presented ordescribed herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts may be requiredto implement the methodologies in accordance with the disclosed subjectmatter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand andappreciate that the methodologies could alternatively be represented asa series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events.Additionally, it should be further appreciated that the methodologiesdisclosed hereinafter and throughout this specification are capable ofbeing stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate transporting andtransferring such methodologies to computers. The term article ofmanufacture, as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer programaccessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media.

Referring now to FIGS. 19 and 20, processes 1900 and 2000 that providefor effective idle mode reselection in a wireless environment areillustrated, in accordance with an embodiment. At 1910, at least onevirtual neighbor object comprising a channel number and a scramblingcode can be built/created. In an aspect, the channel number and thescrambling code can be associated with one or more femtocells locatedwithin a coverage area, or macro cell, of a base station. At 1920, theat least one virtual neighbor object can reference at least twofemtocells, e.g., within the macro cell and/or across different macrocells. A message including the at least one virtual neighbor object,e.g., comprising neighbor list, can be transmitted from a base stationto a mobile wireless device at 1930. In an aspect, the message caninclude a System Information Block (SIB) message or a quater message(see above). Further, an idle mode reselection can be facilitatedbetween the base station and one of the at least two femtocells via themobile wireless device, based on, at least in part, the channel numberand the scrambling code associated with the femtocell.

Regarding example process 2000 illustrated by FIG. 20, one or moreaccess restrictions can be assigned to one or more femtocells at 2010.For example, the one or more access restrictions can comprise an IDassociated with a mobile wireless device that is enabled access to afemtocell, e.g., based on the ID matching the one or more accessrestrictions. In an aspect, the ID can include a user ID associated withthe mobile wireless device, or an account number affiliated with awireless service provider. At 2020, reselection component can facilitateidle mode reselection between the base station and one of the at leasttwo femtocells via the mobile wireless device, based on, at least inpart, the channel number, the scrambling code, and the one or moreaccess restrictions. Returning now to the example above, the one or moreaccess restrictions can prevent access/prevent reselection to thefemtocell if the user ID and/or account number associated with themobile wireless device is not validated.

FIG. 21 illustrates a process 2100 that provides for effective idle modereselection in a wireless environment, in accordance with an embodiment.At 2110, at least two femtocells of different macro cells—the macrocells associated with a UMTS network and/or a GSM network—can bereferenced by a virtual neighbor object of a plurality of virtualneighbor objects. A femtocell neighbor list can be constructed toinclude the plurality of virtual neighbor objects at 2120. At 2130, thefemtocell neighbor list can be transmitted from base stations of thedifferent macro cells to mobile wireless devices. Further, reselectionfrom one of the base stations to a femtocell of the at least twofemtocells can be performed via one of the mobile wireless devices at2130.

Referring now to FIG. 22, a process 2200 associated with a mobile deviceis illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment. At 2210, a mobilewireless device can receive a femtocell neighbor list transmitted from abase station of a macro cell sector. The mobile wireless device can scanfemtocell channels at 2220—each channel associated with a channel numberand a scrambling code related to a virtual neighbor object included inthe femtocell neighbor list. At 2230, the mobile wireless device canreselect to a femtocell associated with the scanned femtocell channelsbased on, at least in part, a channel number, a scrambling code, and anaccess control list related to the femtocell. The access control listcan grant access to the femtocell based on one or more parametersassociated with the mobile wireless device, such as account information,mobile wireless device identification, etc.

FIG. 23 illustrates another process (2300) associated with a mobiledevice, in accordance with an embodiment. A mobile wireless device,e.g., UE, can receive a femtocell neighbor list including virtualneighbor objects transmitted from a base station at 2310. At 2320, themobile wireless device can determine, for each virtual neighbor objectincluded in the femtocell neighbor list, whether the virtual neighborobject references two or more femtocells—the two or more femtocellscommunicating with/sending information to the mobile wireless device. Ifit is determined that the virtual neighbor object does not reference twoor more femtocells, flow continues to 2340, at which the mobile wirelessdevice can scan a femtocell associated with a channel number andscrambling code included in the virtual neighbor object, e.g., toevaluate whether to select the femtocell to service an activecommunication.

If it is determined at 2320 that the virtual neighbor object referencestwo or more femtocells communicating with/sending information to themobile wireless device, then it can be determined at 2330, e.g., via afemtocell associated with the virtual neighbor object, whether one ormore access parameters related to the femtocell correlate with themobile wireless device. If it is determined that the one or more accessparameters correlate with the mobile wireless device, then flowcontinues to 2340 (see above); however, if it is determined that the oneor more access parameters do not correlate with the mobile wirelessdevice, then flow returns to 2320, at which the mobile wireless devicecan determine whether another virtual neighbor object included in thefemtocell neighbor list references two or more femtocells.

FIG. 24 illustrates a block diagram of a mobile wireless device 2400, inaccordance with an embodiment. Mobile wireless device 2400 can performthe acts described above related to, e.g., mobile wireless devices 220_(A) and 220 _(B); mobile stations 450 _(A) and 450 _(B); user equipment550 _(A) and 550 _(B). For example, mobile wireless device 2400 canperform acts described with respect to FIGS. 22 and 23 via processor(s)2410. Processors(s) 2410 can perform such acts within the mobilewireless device utilizing, e.g., memory device(s) 2420.

To provide further context for various aspects of the disclosed subjectmatter, FIGS. 25 and 26 illustrate, respectively, a block diagram of anembodiment 2500 of a femtocell access point 2505 that can enable orexploit features and/or aspects of the disclosed subject matter; and awireless network environment 2600 that includes femto and macro networkplatforms, which can enable aspects or feature of a mobile networkplatform as described herein, and utilize femto APs that exploit aspectsof the subject innovation in accordance with various aspects of thesubject specification. In embodiment 2500, femto AP 2505 can receive andtransmit signal(s) from and to wireless devices, e.g., femto accesspoints, access terminals, wireless ports and routers, or the like,through a set of antennas 2520 ₁-2520 _(N) (N is a positive integer).Antennas 2520 ₁-2520 _(N) are a part of communication platform 2515,which comprises electronic components and associated circuitry thatprovides for processing and manipulation of received signal(s) andsignal(s) to be transmitted.

In an aspect, communication platform 2515 includes areceiver/transmitter 2516 that can convert analog signals to digitalsignals upon reception of the analog signals, and convert digitalsignals to analog signals upon transmission. In addition,receiver/transmitter 2516 can divide a single data stream into multiple,parallel data streams, or perform the reciprocal operation. Coupled toreceiver/transmitter 2516 is a multiplexer/demultiplexer 2517 thatfacilitates manipulation of signal in time and frequency space.Electronic component 2517 can multiplex information (data/traffic andcontrol/signaling) according to various multiplexing schemes such astime division multiplexing (TDM), frequency division multiplexing (FDM),orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), code divisionmultiplexing (CDM), space division multiplexing (SDM). In addition,mux/demux component 2517 can scramble and spread information (e.g.,codes) according to substantially any code known in the art, e.g.,Hadamard-Walsh codes, Baker codes, Kasami codes, polyphase codes, etc. Amodulator/demodulator 2518 is also a part of communication platform2515, and can modulate information according to multiple modulationtechniques, such as frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, e.g.,M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), with M a positive integer),phase-shift keying (PSK), etc.

Femto access point 2505 also includes a processor 2535 configured toconfer, at least in part, functionality to substantially any electroniccomponent in femto AP 2505. In particular, processor 2535 can facilitateconfiguration of femto AP 2505 via system 600, and one or more componenttherein. Additionally, femto AP 2505 includes display interface 2512,which can display functions that control functionality of femto AP 2505,or reveal operation conditions thereof. In addition, display interface2512 can include a screen to convey information to an end user. In anaspect, display interface 2512 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), aplasma panel, a monolithic thin-film based electrochromic display, andso on. Moreover, display interface can also include a component, e.g.,speaker that facilitates communication of aural indicia, which can alsobe employed in connection with messages that convey operationalinstructions to an end user. Display interface 2512 also facilitatesdata entry e.g., through a linked keypad or via touch gestures, whichcan facilitated femto AP 2505 to receive external commands, e.g.,restart operation.

Broadband network interface facilitates connection of femto AP 2505 tofemto network via access point backhaul link(s) 253 (not shown in FIG.25), which enable incoming and outgoing data flow. Broadband networkinterface 2514 can be internal or external to femto AP 2505, and it canutilize display interface 2512 for end-user interaction and statusinformation delivery.

Processor 2535 also is functionally connected to communication platform2515 and can facilitate operations on data, e.g., symbols, bits, orchips, for multiplexing/demultiplexing, such as effecting direct andinverse fast Fourier transforms, selection of modulation rates,selection of data packet formats, inter-packet times, etc. Moreover,processor 2535 is functionally connected, via data, system, or addressbus 2511, to display interface 2512 and broadband network interface 2514to confer, at least in part functionality to each of such components.

In femto AP 2505, memory 2545 can retain location and/or home macrosector identifier(s); access list(s) that authorize access to wirelesscoverage through femto 2505; sector intelligence that includes rankingof macro sectors in the macro wireless environment of femto AP 2505,radio link quality and strength associated therewith, or the like.Memory 2545 also can store data structures, code instructions andprogram modules, system or device information, code sequences forscrambling, spreading and pilot transmission, femto AP floor planconfiguration, and so on. Processor 2535 is coupled, e.g., via a memorybus, to memory 2545 in order to store and retrieve information necessaryto operate and/or confer functionality to the components, platform, andinterfaces that reside within femto access point 2505.

Now referring to FIG. 26, wireless communication environment 2600includes two wireless network platforms: (1) macro network platform 2610that serves, or facilitates communication with, user equipment (UE)2675, e.g., mobile wireless device 2400, via a macro radio accessnetwork (RAN) 2670; and (2) femto network platform 2680, which canprovide communication with UE 2675 through a femto RAN 2690, which islinked to femto network platform 2680 via backhaul pipe(s) 2685, e.g.,access point backhaul link(s) 253. Moreover, wireless communicationenvironment 2600 includes virtual neighbor component 260. It should beappreciated that wireless communication environment 2600 can includeaspects and/or components of the subject innovation discussed aboveregarding, e.g., system 600, virtual neighbor component 1200, system1500, system 1700, etc. Moreover, such aspects and/or components can belocated/included within one or more components/elements, e.g., hardware,software, etc., of wireless communication environment 2600, e.g., macronetwork platform 2610, radio network 2690, and/or mobile device 2695.

It should also be appreciated that in cellular wireless technologies,e.g., 3GPP UMTS, HSPA, 3GPP LTE™, 3GPP2 UMB, GSM, etc., macro networkplatform 2610 is embodied in a core network. It should also beappreciated that macro network platform 2610 typically hands off UE 2675to femto network platform 2610 once UE 2675 attaches, e.g., throughmacro-to-femto handover, to femto RAN 2690, which includes a set ofdeployed femto APs, e.g., femto AP 230, which can operate in accordancewith aspects described herein.

It is noted that RAN includes base station(s), or access point(s), andits associated electronic circuitry and deployment site(s), in additionto a wireless radio link operated in accordance with the basestation(s). Accordingly, macro RAN 2670 can comprise various coveragecells like macro cell 205, while femto RAN 2690 can comprise multiplefemtocell access points such as femto AP 230. Deployment density infemto RAN 2690 is substantially higher than in macro RAN 2670.

Generally, both macro and femto network platforms 2610 and 2680 includecomponents, e.g., nodes, gateways, interfaces, servers, or platforms,that facilitate both packet-switched (PS), e.g., internet protocol (IP),frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and circuit-switched (CS)traffic, e.g., voice and data, and control generation for networkedwireless communication. In an aspect of the subject innovation, macronetwork platform 2610 includes CS gateway node(s) 2612 which caninterface CS traffic received from legacy networks like telephonynetwork(s) 2640, e.g., public switched telephone network (PSTN), orpublic land mobile network (PLMN), or a SS7 network 2660. Circuitswitched gateway 2612 can authorize and authenticate traffic, e.g.,voice, arising from such networks. Additionally, CS gateway 2612 canaccess mobility, or roaming, data generated through SS7 network 2660;for instance, mobility data stored in a VLR, which can reside in memory2630. Moreover, CS gateway node(s) 2612 interfaces CS-based traffic andsignaling and gateway node(s) 2618. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTSnetwork, PS gateway node(s) 2618 can be embodied in gateway GPRS supportnode(s) (GGSN).

In addition to receiving and processing CS-switched traffic andsignaling, PS gateway node(s) 2618 can authorize and authenticatePS-based data sessions with served, e.g., through macro RAN, wirelessdevices. Data sessions can include traffic exchange with networksexternal to the macro network platform 2610, like wide area network(s)(WANs) 2650; enterprise networks (NWs) 2670, e.g., enhanced 911, orservice NW(s) 2680 like IP multimedia subsystem (IMS). It should beappreciated that local area network(s) (LANs), which may be a part ofenterprise NW(s), can also be interfaced with macro network platform2610 through PS gateway node(s) 2618. Packet-switched gateway node(s)2618 generates packet data contexts when a data session is established.To that end, in an aspect, PS gateway node(s) 2618 can include a tunnelinterface, e.g., tunnel termination gateway (TTG) in 3GPP UMTSnetwork(s) (not shown), which can facilitate packetized communicationwith disparate wireless network(s), such as Wi-Fi networks. It should befurther appreciated that the packetized communication can includemultiple flows that can be generated through server(s) 2614. It is to benoted that in 3GPP UMTS network(s), PS gateway node(s) 2618 (e.g., GGSN)and tunnel interface (e.g., TTG) comprise a packet data gateway (PDG).

Macro network platform 2610 also includes serving node(s) 2616 thatconvey the various packetized flows of information, or data streams,received through PS gateway node(s) 2618. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTSnetwork, serving node(s) can be embodied in serving GPRS support node(s)(SGSN).

As indicated above, server(s) 2614 in macro network platform 2610 canexecute numerous applications, e.g., location services, online gaming,wireless banking, wireless device management, etc. that generatemultiple disparate packetized data streams or flows, and manage suchflows, e.g., schedule, queue, format. Such application(s), for examplecan include add-on features to standard services provided by macronetwork platform 2610. Data streams can be conveyed to PS gatewaynode(s) 2618 for authorization/authentication and initiation of a datasession, and to serving node(s) 2616 for communication thereafter.Server(s) 2614 can also effect security, e.g., implement one or morefirewalls, of macro network platform 2610 to ensure network's operationand data integrity in addition to authorization and authenticationprocedures that CS gateway node(s) 2612 and PS gateway node(s) 2618 canenact. Moreover, server(s) 2614 can provision services from externalnetwork(s), e.g., WAN 2650, or Global Positioning System (GPS)network(s), which can be a part of enterprise NW(s) 2680. It is to benoted that server(s) 2614 can include one or more processors configuredto confer at least in part the functionality of macro network platform2610. To that end, the one or more processors can execute codeinstructions stored in memory 2630, for example.

In example wireless environment 2600, memory 2630 stores informationrelated to operation of macro network platform 2610. Information caninclude business data associated with subscribers; market plans andstrategies, e.g., promotional campaigns, business partnerships;operational data for mobile devices served through macro networkplatform; service and privacy policies; end-user service logs for lawenforcement; and so forth. Memory 2630 can also store information fromat least one of telephony network(s) 2640, WAN 2650, SS7 network 2660,enterprise NW(s) 2670, or service NW(s) 2680.

Regarding femto network platform 2680, it can include femto gatewaynode(s) 2684, which have substantially the same functionality as PSgateway node(s) 2618. Additionally, femto gateway node(s) 2684 can alsoinclude substantially all functionality of serving node(s) 2616.Disparate gateway node(s) 2684 can control or operate disparate sets ofdeployed femto APs, which can be a part of femto RAN 2690. In an aspectof the subject innovation, femto gateway node(s) 2684 can aggregateoperational data received from deployed femto APs.

Memory 2686 can retain additional information relevant to operation ofthe various components of femto network platform 2680. For example,operational information that can be stored in memory 2686 can comprise,but is not limited to, subscriber intelligence; contracted services;maintenance and service records; femtocell configuration, e.g., devicesserved through femto RAN 2690, authorized subscribers associated withone or more deployed femto APs; service policies and specifications;privacy policies; add-on features; so forth.

Server(s) 2682 have substantially the same functionality as described inconnection with server(s) 2614. In an aspect, server(s) 2682 can executemultiple application(s) that provide service, e.g., voice and data, towireless devices served through femto RAN 2690. Server(s) 2682 can alsoprovide security features to femto network platform. In addition,server(s) 2682 can manage, e.g., schedule, queue, format, substantiallyall packetized flows, e.g., IP-based, frame relay-based, ATM-based, itgenerates in addition to data received from macro network platform 2610.Furthermore, server(s) 2682 can effect provisioning of femtocellservice, and effect operations and maintenance. It is to be noted thatserver(s) 2682 can include one or more processors configured to provideat least in part the functionality of femto network platform 2680. Tothat end, the one or more processors can execute code instructionsstored in memory 2686, for example.

As it employed in the subject specification, the term “processor” canrefer to substantially any computing processing unit or devicecomprising, but not limited to comprising, single-core processors;single-processors with software multithread execution capability;multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithreadexecution capability; multi-core processors with hardware multithreadtechnology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributedshared memory. Additionally, a processor can refer to an integratedcircuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aprogrammable logic controller (PLC), a complex programmable logic device(CPLD), a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functionsdescribed herein. Processors can exploit nano-scale architectures suchas, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dot based transistors,switches and gates, in order to optimize space usage or enhanceperformance of mobile wireless devices. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing processing units.

In the subject specification, terms such as “store,” “data store,” datastorage,” “database,” and substantially any other information storagecomponent relevant to operation and functionality of a component, referto “memory components,” or entities embodied in a “memory,” orcomponents comprising the memory. It will be appreciated that the memorycomponents described herein can be either volatile memory or nonvolatilememory, or can include both volatile and nonvolatile memory.

By way of illustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory, forexample, which can be included in memory devices 2420, memory 2545,memory 2630, and memory 2686, can include read only memory (ROM),programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM),electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory caninclude random access memory (RAM), which acts as external cache memory.By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in manyforms such as synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronousDRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM(ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct Rambus RAM (DRRAM).Additionally, the disclosed memory components of systems or methodsherein are intended to comprise, without being limited to comprising,these and any other suitable types of memory.

In order to provide a context for the various aspects of the disclosedsubject matter, FIGS. 27 and 28, as well as the following discussion,are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitableenvironment in which the various aspects of the disclosed subject mattermay be implemented. While the subject matter has been described above inthe general context of computer-executable instructions of a computerprogram that runs on a computer and/or computers, those skilled in theart will recognize that the subject innovation also may be implementedin combination with other program modules. Generally, program modulesinclude routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. thatperform particular tasks and/or implement particular abstract datatypes.

Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventivesystems may be practiced with other computer system configurations,including single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems,mini-computing devices, mainframe computers, as well as personalcomputers, hand-held computing devices (e.g., PDA, phone, watch),microprocessor-based or programmable consumer or industrial electronics,and the like. The illustrated aspects may also be practiced indistributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remoteprocessing devices that are linked through a communications network;however, some if not all aspects of the subject disclosure can bepracticed on stand-alone computers. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotememory storage devices.

With reference to FIG. 27, a block diagram of a computer 2700 operableto execute the disclosed systems and methods, in accordance with anembodiment, includes a computer 2712. The computer 2712 includes aprocessing unit 2714, a system memory 2716, and a system bus 2718. Thesystem bus 2718 couples system components including, but not limited to,the system memory 2716 to the processing unit 2714. The processing unit2714 can be any of various available processors. Dual microprocessorsand other multiprocessor architectures also can be employed as theprocessing unit 2714.

The system bus 2718 can be any of several types of bus structure(s)including the memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus orexternal bus, and/or a local bus using any variety of available busarchitectures including, but not limited to, Industrial StandardArchitecture (ISA), Micro-Channel Architecture (MSA), Extended ISA(EISA), Intelligent Drive Electronics (IDE), VESA Local Bus (VLB),Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Card Bus, Universal Serial Bus(USB), Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association bus (PCMCIA), Firewire (IEEE 1194), and SmallComputer Systems Interface (SCSI).

The system memory 2716 includes volatile memory 2720 and nonvolatilememory 2722. The basic input/output system (BIOS), containing the basicroutines to transfer information between elements within the computer2712, such as during start-up, is stored in nonvolatile memory 2722. Byway of illustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory 2722 caninclude ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. Volatile memory 2720includes RAM, which acts as external cache memory. By way ofillustration and not limitation, RAM is available in many forms such asSRAM, dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rateSDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM),Rambus direct RAM (RDRAM), direct Rambus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), andRambus dynamic RAM (RDRAM).

Computer 2712 also includes removable/non-removable,volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. FIG. 27 illustrates, forexample, disk storage 2724. Disk storage 2724 includes, but is notlimited to, devices like a magnetic disk drive, floppy disk drive, tapedrive, Jaz drive, Zip drive, LS-100 drive, flash memory card, or memorystick. In addition, disk storage 2724 can include storage mediaseparately or in combination with other storage media including, but notlimited to, an optical disk drive such as a compact disk ROM device(CD-ROM), CD recordable drive (CD-R Drive), CD rewritable drive (CD-RWDrive) or a digital versatile disk ROM drive (DVD-ROM). To facilitateconnection of the disk storage devices 2724 to the system bus 2718, aremovable or non-removable interface is typically used, such asinterface 2726.

It is to be appreciated that FIG. 27 describes software that acts as anintermediary between users and the basic computer resources described inthe suitable operating environment 2700. Such software includes anoperating system 2728. Operating system 2728, which can be stored ondisk storage 2724, acts to control and allocate resources of thecomputer system 2712. System applications 2730 take advantage of themanagement of resources by operating system 2728 through program modules2732 and program data 2734 stored either in system memory 2716 or ondisk storage 2724. It is to be appreciated that the disclosed subjectmatter can be implemented with various operating systems or combinationsof operating systems.

A user enters commands or information into the computer 2711 throughinput device(s) 2736. Input devices 2736 include, but are not limitedto, a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, stylus, touch pad,keyboard, microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, TVtuner card, digital camera, digital video camera, web camera, and thelike. These and other input devices connect to the processing unit 2714through the system bus 2718 via interface port(s) 2738. Interfaceport(s) 2738 include, for example, a serial port, a parallel port, agame port, and a universal serial bus (USB). Output device(s) 2740 usesome of the same type of ports as input device(s) 2736.

Thus, for example, a USB port may be used to provide input to computer2712 and to output information from computer 2712 to an output device2740. Output adapter 2742 is provided to illustrate that there are someoutput devices 2740 like monitors, speakers, and printers, among otheroutput devices 2740, which use special adapters. The output adapters2742 include, by way of illustration and not limitation, video and soundcards that provide a means of connection between the output device 2740and the system bus 2718. It should be noted that other devices and/orsystems of devices provide both input and output capabilities such asremote computer(s) 2744.

Computer 2712 can operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer(s)2744. The remote computer(s) 2744 can be a personal computer, a server,a router, a network PC, a workstation, a microprocessor based appliance,a peer device or other common network node and the like, and typicallyincludes many or all of the elements described relative to computer2712.

For purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device 2746 isillustrated with remote computer(s) 2744. Remote computer(s) 2744 islogically connected to computer 2712 through a network interface 2748and then physically connected via communication connection 2750. Networkinterface 2748 encompasses wire and/or wireless communication networkssuch as local-area networks (LAN) and wide-area networks (WAN). LANtechnologies include Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), CopperDistributed Data Interface (CDDI), Ethernet, Token Ring and the like.WAN technologies include, but are not limited to, point-to-point links,circuit switching networks like Integrated Services Digital Networks(ISDN) and variations thereon, packet switching networks, and DigitalSubscriber Lines (DSL).

Communication connection(s) 2750 refer(s) to the hardware/softwareemployed to connect the network interface 2748 to the bus 2718. Whilecommunication connection 2750 is shown for illustrative clarity insidecomputer 2712, it can also be external to computer 2712. Thehardware/software for connection to the network interface 2748 caninclude, for exemplary purposes only, internal and external technologiessuch as, modems including regular telephone grade modems, cable modemsand DSL modems, ISDN adapters, and Ethernet cards.

FIG. 28 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computingenvironment 2830, in accordance with an embodiment. The system 2800includes one or more client(s) 2810. The client(s) 2810 can be hardwareand/or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). Thesystem 2800 also includes one or more server(s) 2820. Thus, system 2800can correspond to a two-tier client server model or a multi-tier model(e.g., client, middle tier server, data server), amongst other models.The server(s) 2820 can also be hardware and/or software (e.g., threads,processes, computing devices). The servers 2820 can house threads toperform transformations by employing the subject innovation, forexample. One possible communication between a client 2810 and a server2820 may be in the form of a data packet transmitted between two or morecomputer processes.

The system 2800 includes a communication framework 2830 that can beemployed to facilitate communications between the client(s) 2810 and theserver(s) 2820. The client(s) 2810 are operatively connected to one ormore client data store(s) 2840 that can be employed to store informationlocal to the client(s) 2810. Similarly, the server(s) 2820 areoperatively connected to one or more server data store(s) 2850 that canbe employed to store information local to the servers 2820.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the subjectdisclosure, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the preciseforms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples are describedherein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possiblethat are considered within the scope of such embodiments and examples,as those skilled in the relevant art can recognize.

In this regard, while the disclosed subject matter has been described inconnection with various embodiments and corresponding Figures, whereapplicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may beused or modifications and additions may be made to the describedembodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative or substitutefunction of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom.Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to anysingle embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed inbreadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: sending, by a systemcomprising a processor via a first wireless access point device,neighbor information directed to a mobile device, wherein the neighborinformation represents communication channels of a group of femtocelldevices within a first defined wireless coverage area of the firstwireless access point device; and in response to the sending of theneighbor information, granting, by the system based on a virtualneighbor object and an access restriction referencing a signal qualityof a communication between the mobile device and a first femtocelldevice of the group of femtocell devices, an idle mode reselectionbetween the first wireless access point device and the first femtocelldevice, wherein the virtual neighbor object comprises a data elementreferencing, using a communication channel of the communicationchannels, the group of femtocell devices within the first definedwireless coverage area, wherein the data element further references,using the communication channel, a second femtocell device within asecond defined wireless coverage area, different from the first definedwireless coverage area, of a second wireless access point device, andwherein the first femtocell device and the second femtocell device haverespective femto access point device wireless coverage areas that aresmaller than the first defined wireless coverage area and the seconddefined wireless coverage area.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thegranting of the idle mode reselection comprises granting, based on anidentification referencing the mobile device, the idle mode reselectionbetween the wireless access point device and the first femtocell device.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the access restriction comprises anaccess control data structure associated with the first femtocelldevice.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of the neighborinformation comprises directing the first femtocell device to transmitthe neighbor information to the mobile device.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: assigning, by the system, an access controlparameter to the first femtocell device.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein the granting of the idle mode reselection comprises permittingthe idle mode reselection based on the access control parameter.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the access control parameter is associatedwith an identifier of the mobile device.
 8. A system, comprising: aprocessor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor, facilitate performance of operations,comprising: sending neighbor data directed to a mobile wireless device,wherein the neighbor data represents communication channels of a groupof femtocell devices within a first defined wireless coverage areacorresponding to the mobile wireless device; and subsequent to thesending of the neighbor data, permitting, using a communication channelof the communication channels based on an access restriction and avirtual neighbor object referencing a first femtocell device of thegroup of femtocell devices and a second femtocell device of a seconddefined wireless coverage area, different than the first definedwireless coverage area, an idle mode reselection between a base stationdevice and the first femtocell device, wherein the first femtocelldevice and the second femtocell device are associated with respectivefemtocell transmission powers that are lower than a base stationtransmission power of the base station device, and wherein the accessrestriction references a signal quality associated with a communicationbetween the first femtocell device and the mobile wireless device. 9.The system of claim 8, wherein the permitting comprises permitting,based on an identification referencing the mobile wireless device, theidle mode reselection between the base station device and the firstfemtocell device.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the accessrestriction comprises an access control data structure associated withthe first femtocell device.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein thesending of the neighbor data comprises directing the first femtocelldevice to transmit the neighbor data to the mobile wireless device. 12.The system of claim 8 wherein the operations further comprise: assigningan access control parameter to the first femtocell device.
 13. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the permitting of the idle mode reselectioncomprises permitting the idle mode reselection based on the accesscontrol parameter.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the base stationdevice comprises a long term evolution access point device.
 15. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein the first femtocell device comprises aBluetooth™ access point device.
 16. The system of claim 8, wherein thefirst femtocell device comprises an Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers 802.11x based device.
 17. A machine-readablestorage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executedby a processor of a mobile device, facilitate performance of operations,comprising: receiving neighbor data representing broadcast channels ofproximate femtocell devices within a first defined wireless coveragearea corresponding to the mobile device; and in response to thereceiving of the neighbor data, reselecting between a base stationdevice and a first femtocell device of a group of the proximatefemtocell devices based on an access restriction and a virtual neighborobject, wherein the access restriction references a signal qualityassociated with a communication between the first femtocell device andthe mobile device, wherein the virtual neighbor object comprises a dataelement referencing the group of the proximate femtocell devices and asecond femtocell device within a second defined wireless coverage areadifferent from the first defined wireless coverage area using abroadcast channel of the broadcast channels, and wherein the firstdefined wireless coverage area and the second defined wireless coveragearea are smaller than a base station wireless transmission area of thebase station device.
 18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim17, wherein the reselecting comprises reselecting between the basestation device and the first femtocell device based on an identificationreferencing the mobile device.
 19. The machine-readable storage mediumof claim 17, wherein the receiving of the neighbor data comprisesreceiving the neighbor data from the first femtocell device.
 20. Themachine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the reselectingcomprises reselecting between the base station device and the firstfemtocell device based on another access restriction.